Many unanswered questions following Barron's death

CLEVELAND – It has been more than a day since the body of 22-year-old Cory Barron was found in a landfill after disappearing from a concert in Cleveland, and there are still many unanswered questions for the Fremont Ross graduate's family and friends.

Barron went missing in the city on the evening of July 18 during a Jason Aldean concert at Progressive Field. He was last seen around 9:30 p.m.

Investigators searched the area around the field, but at 1 p.m. Tuesday a supervisor at the Lorain County Landfill, about 35 miles away from Cleveland, found Barron's body.

"There's a dead body in the trash," the supervisor says in the 911 call to the Lorain County Sheriff's Office. "We hope someone can come out here and take a look at it."

A landfill supervisor calls 911 to report a body has been found, which was soon identified as Cory Barron, 22.
Jonathon Bird

Detective Sgt. Randal Koubeck of the Lorain County Sheriff's Office confirmed the Dumpster Barron was found in is the same Dumpster transported from Progressive Field to the landfill.

Koubeck said the Lorain County Sheriff's Office made the positive identification of Barron's body.

Theories on how Barron's body ended up in the landfill started swirling immediately, although many already have been disproved by Cleveland law enforcement, according to News-Messenger partner WKYC out of Cleveland.

On Tuesday, law enforcement said they were considering the possibility Barron fell down a garbage chute at the field. Cleveland police Commander James Chura told WKYC that Barron's body was found in a Dumpster that, during the concert, had been close to Barron's seating section.

However, police are now saying it would not be possible for Barron to fall down the garbage chute. He would have had to crawl inside of it, which is highly unlikely.

Barron's body was found with his concert ticket and ID.

The Lorain County Coroner's office autopsy was planned for Wednesday. However, by Wednesday evening the office had not released any new information on Barron's cause of death.

Bowling Green State University, where Barron studied communications, sent out an email Wednesday morning offering their condolences to students and staff.

"I know this is a difficult time for many of you," the email reads, urging students to contact university counselors. "(...) We grieve along with his family and friends and offer them our support."

The university will deliver condolences addressed to sympathy@bgsu.edu to Barron's family.

On Facebook, Barron's brother Clay Barron posted a statement thanking law enforcement and everyone else who played a role in the search for his brother.

"I wish I could take the time to thank each of you individually," he wrote. "The support, dedication, and love that has been shown to Cory and the rest of our family over the past few days has been beyond incredible and my family will be forever thankful. All of your efforts, thoughts, prayers and kind words mean more to my family and I than I could ever express in words. (...) Please continue to pray for our family during this difficult time and help us remember Cory for the beyond amazing, caring, and loving young man that I was so blessed to have as my brother for 20 years."

A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Barron tonight at Fremont Ross High School said Mike Dukeshire, a family friend of the Barrons. Several local churches have donated candles for the service, but he said attendees are welcome to bring their own.

Attendees also are urged to wear Ross' colors: purple and white.

Barron graduated from Ross in 2010.

"It's a request from the family to wear those colors," Dukeshire said.

Donations will be accepted at the vigil. Dukeshire said there is not a specific dollar amount they are aiming for, but any money raised will go toward the family's travel costs to and from Cleveland and Barron's funeral.

"I can just imagine anything we collect will help," Dukeshire said.

hbealer@gannett.com

419-334-1035

Twitter: @hannahCBee

Cory Barron's Candlelight Vigil

When: Tonight at 8:30 p.m.

Where: Fremont Ross High School.

What to wear: Purple and white.

What to bring: Several local churches have donated candles, but attendees are welcome to bring their own. Monetary donations accepted.